Worldwide tablet plus 2-in-1 shipments slipped to 50.4 million units in the first calendar quarter of 2014 according to preliminary data from the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly Tablet Tracker.

Data provided to MMW shows that the total represents a sequential decline of 35.7% from the high-volume holiday quarter and just 3.9% growth over the same period a year ago.

IDC explains that the slowdown was “felt across operating systems and screen sizes” and likely points to an even more challenging year ahead for the category.

That’s no good, say analysts. And we can point a finger of blame at larger-screen smartphones.

“The rise of large-screen phones and consumers who are holding on to their existing tablets for ever longer periods of time were both contributing factors to a weaker-than-anticipated quarter for tablets and 2-in-1s,” says Tom Mainelli, IDC Program Vice President. “In addition, commercial growth has not been robust enough to offset the slowing of consumer shipments.”